Framingham State University's lucsta mclev center received $200,000 in a recently approved national budget for the new projector for the school Planetarium, which is being replaced by a stateof-the-art facility.
Mary liscomum, director of the mccliffe Center, said the center's projector has a 40-year history, and this outdated technology "won't cut it down today ".
While the current projector allows students to watch the simulations of the night sky, the new projector can take them on a trip to outer space, where they can observe galaxies and other phenomena like space travelers, she said.
"It will be very exciting," said Liscomb . ".
The Macquarie center, which opened in 1986, seeks resources to become an educator.
It was named in honor of the Framingham State's most famous graduate, teacher maursta mccliffe, who died in the Challenger space shuttle disaster the same year.
About 12,000 middle school students visit each year.
In addition to the planetarium, the student "crew", after weeks of class preparation, also experienced a simulated space mission at the Challenger Learning Center.
"I think the planetarium and the whole center are such a unique and wonderful place," State Senator Karen Spilka said . " He submitted a budget amendment requesting $200,000.
"For thousands of kids from across the state, this is a great opportunity to experience what they can't experience elsewhere in the state.
Spilka, a member of the STEM Advisory Committee of Governor Deval Patrick, said that it was also related to efforts to better educate students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
According to the council's website, these subjects are considered a priority, as 80% of the jobs created over the next decade will require mathematical and scientific skills, and in times of economic downturn these jobs are paid more, more secure than many other jobs.
According to Dell Hamel, executive vice president, Framingham State, the existing planetarium is being demolished to make room for new science labs as part of the $65 million science center project. The new $3.
He said the 5 million Planetarium is being built next to the center of mclev because most of its use is through the center.
The new projector will allow for a significant extension of programming, because now everything has to be created by the center staff, but with the new technology, the center can borrow programs created for other Planetarium.
"We will be able to use this facility more," Hamel said . ".
Liscum said that although the center provides services for teachers and students, she hopes to provide some public projects at the new planetarium, which is scheduled to be completed in October. (
She added that the new projector will not be available until January. )
The center was busy all summer.
Recent projects have looked at space weather, climate change and science and literacy.
Last week, the center had teachers and students learning about robots and so on, lykum said.
A nasa representative is talking about the "curiosity" that plans to land on Mars early next month ".
The center can look forward to a stronger relationship with NASA, which was named NASA's Educational Resource Center last year.
There are about 60 people in this country.
The new projector will help the center further customize the project according to the needs of teachers, said Liscomb.
She said that, therefore, if the teacher encounters difficulties on a certain topic, there will be another tool available in the center.
"We have been trying to teach our teachers new teaching methods.